


So Not Done

by HereLiesBethBoland



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Episode Remix, Explicit Language, F/M, One Shot, Rio's POV, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-08-10 03:33:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20128666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HereLiesBethBoland/pseuds/HereLiesBethBoland
Summary: a little 2x09 Fix-it because its what we deserve. I love you all.I own nothing here.





	So Not Done

“Here’s your cut,” she says, avoiding his gaze. 

“Thought you left it at home.”

“Guess not.” 

Rio’s amused; feels prideful in an affectionate way towards her, despite the obvious wall she’s currently raising up between them. 

“Swing by tomorrow, I’ll hook you up with the funny money,” he says.

“I don’t need it,”

“Yeh but how you gonna…”

“I’m not...I’m done,” she says matter-of-factly and he’s squinting at her, confusion flitting across his face and then- 

Realization dawns on him fast and furious. 

“Is that right?”

“No more cash no more pills,” she says and looks at him. He looks away because it strikes him how easily she's making this decision, and the timing of it.. Well. 

“I’m gonna take a shower, you should go,” she gets up and he watches her stride to the bathroom. “It’s over.” 

Like a switch being flipped, shock and anger shoot down from his chest to his fingertips, itching to punch a wall or something. 

_ What the fuck..? Who does this bitch think she is?” _

And he’s….he’s hurt. And that pisses him off even more. He sits there a few more moments, collecting himself. He wants to tear into the bathroom, grab her and demand she tell him where she gets off.

Only...

Maybe this has to do with that dumbass who took her kids. 

He thinks about the last few hours; the emotion behind her eyes. He thought it was just because she's goin through some shit, missing her kids, stressed out; but maybe she had been trying to tell him something. 

He’s gotten better at reading her for the most part, but today she’d been different. Open. vulnerable. 

The way she looked at him when he was moving inside her reached somewhere deep and clung. He was affected by it. Still felt it clutching his chest. 

It was the reason he was still there, leaning up against the headrest he had been fucking her into a few hours earlier. 

Decision made, he stands, pulling his jeans up hastily and walking over to her bathroom door. He hears the shower going but it doesn’t sound like there’s a body under the water. He brings his hand up, hesitates for a moment, and then knocks softly. 

“Elizabeth,” he says, and it sounds like ‘Lizabeth’

There's no answer so he counts to twenty and knocks louder. 

“I said you should go,” she finally says. Her voice sounds off key, emotional. 

“Lemme in.” 

“No.” she shoots back. 

“I’m gonna bust the door down.” 

“Stop. Just… leave me alone. Please. Its the only way,” 

“What’s that mean?” Rio listens to the steady sound of the shower, anticipating any indication that she’s gonna let him in. She doesn’t answer his question so he decides fuck it and reaches into his back pocket for his wallet. 

The credit card slides expertly into the crack of the door, successfully unlocking it. The door opens an inch and Rio peaks in.

She’s sitting with her knees up and her head down on her arms. Lavender-scented steam clouds the room. He walks over to her and looks down, waiting for her to acknowledge his presence. When she does, she meets his questioning gaze with her own pitiful one. He watches as she stretches out her legs. As she’s rearranging her robe around her he catches a glimpse of her naked form and takes a deep breath.

He moves over to the shower turning it off, and flips the switch on the vent to clear out some of the stifling steam. Then he sits next to her with his back up against the vanity, eyes focused in front of him. 

“What’s goin’ on Mama?” 

“He gave me an ultimatum. Said it’s either you or them. My kids.” 

_ That’s it? _ He thinks, and he has to reign in his frustration at how markedly she _ doesn’t _fight for this. How quickly she is willing to give everything up. Their partnership…

Him. 

And how ignorant she is to think it’s that easy. 

They aren’t _ together. _ This ain’t some dating situation. There’s a lot at stake here; money, _ his money. _but despite that- it’s not the business end of it that's pissing him off.

Rio barely recognizes himself these days. He huffs humorlessly at that and turns to her, taking in her profile. She’s beautiful to the point of distraction which has been a problem from the start. He's never thought of himself as someone who could be led by a sirens song. 

Those damn pearls. 

And it hits him suddenly that she started this, not him. And it’s not that he had forgotten, but in this moment it’s more relevant than ever.

“Do you know what my first thought was when I saw your pearls hangin’ in my warehouse?” 

He watches as she closes her eyes and hears her dismissive exhale. 

He continues, “I thought, damn this bitch must be bored as hell.” 

Beth whips her head to him, and he smirks at the incredulous look she gives him. 

“Yeah, you know. I just figure you up here in this big ol’ house… husband not meetin' your needs, maybe you were interested in something else from me.” His eyes trail down her body with extra heat now that he knows exactly what she looks like. 

“That was presumptuous of you,” she says, defending her non-existent virtue. He rolls his eyes. 

“But then when I found out you wanted to pull more jobs, I was impressed. Only knew you a short while and already you were surprisin’ me.. I got pretty good instincts. Pretty good judge of character and what not. But you can be tough to read…,” 

Beth's looking at him soberly now- listening. 

“.... every time I think I got a handle on you....” he continues.

“Seems like you always know what I’m thinking,” she says, contradicting his point. 

“Obviously that ain’t true. Otherwise I woulda known _ that _,” he gestures to the door, “wasn’t exactly an afternoon delight.” 

Beth looks down at her fidgeting fingers which twirl around the satin tie of her robe, smiling sheepishly.

“Sorry,” she says after a beat. 

“S’ok. But you ain’t done.” 

“So you’re taking away my choice as well?” she asks sadly. She looks tired. Torn. He hates it. 

“You are,” he says. 

“I’m taking away my own choice?” Confusion colors her pretty features, and he sighs because he wants her to _ see. _

“You lose your power the moment you give in to him. Dean’s a coward. His only fight is dirty, an he know you ain’t gonna think straight if he takes your reason to live away.” 

“But… I don’t have a choice. He’s.. he has things on me. And he’s kind of _ right _, in a way.” 

“How so?” 

“It’s not safe for the kids, what we do. How we make money. I mean, right?”

Rio shakes his head. “Depends on your perspective. Ain’t no kid safer on that playground than Marcus, I guarantee that,” he continues, “But see, the way you do shit? That’s dangerous. You gotta commit. This is it, the fork in the road. You gotta choose a path and stick to it.” 

“But you said I _ can’t _ quit.” 

“Nah. I’m not keepin’ you in, baby. I’m sayin’ _ you ain’t done. _You don’t wanna be.” 

“What are you talking about?” She’s turned to him now. 

“It ain’t gonna work, Ma, trust me I’ve tried” 

“You’ve tried what?” 

“To quit this.” He gestured between them. “You think my life got any easier the day you walked into it?”

She stares at him, realization hitting her that he feels the same pull and resulting frustration that she does. 

“I've accepted it. You should too.” 

“So what now?” 

He shrugs and reaches over to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. 

“Now we fuck.”

Beth laughs quick and bright and Rio’s smile widens. 

“That funny to you?” he asks in mock offense. 

Her eyes are bright blue and shining from her earlier tears, but she’s smiling now. The feeling he gets from being able to turn her mood around with his teasing is both satisfying and unsettling. 

“The kids will be here soon,” she says quietly, looking into his eyes. Rio doesn’t say anything , just stares at her, waiting for her next move. 

She surprises him by reaching over and running her hand down the side of his face. Her thumb caresses his cheekbone just as his eyes are closing. He allows the softness of the moment to wash over him; a rarity for him. 

“What should I do about Dean?” She whispers and his eyes open. Her hand drops between them. 

“I’ll take care of it.” He watches surprise, panic, and doubt sweep across her face in a matter of seconds before consideration takes over, and she nods. 

“Ok,” she says. 

“Ok. He stands and reaches a hand out to her and when she takes hold of him with her much smaller hand, he pulls her up. He goes over to the shower and turns it back on then comes to stand in front of her again. She’s looking up at him, eyes wide and questioning but he can see something new there.

Like trust, maybe. Or the beginnings of it. 

Rio lifts his hands up to grip her hair, wrapping the strawberry locks around his fingers. He tugs her head back softly and brings his lips down to hers, kissing her with purpose. 

He pulls back, black eyes drilling into hers as his hands drift down to the sash of her robe. He unties it, then pushes the silky material off of her shoulders. She stands perfectly still as he runs his fingers down her arms, goosebumps following his touch. 

Finally his eyes leave hers and he looks at her body. He watches as a blush spreads across her freckled chest. 

_ Beautiful. _He thinks. Someday, he'll tell her. 

He thumbs the dimple in her chin before turning to go. “I’ll be in touch.” 

“Wait,” she says and grabs his hand pulling him back to her. She wraps her arms around his waist and lays her head against his chest, squeezing him tight. 

He’s frozen; arms hanging limply as his brain tries to catch on to what’s happening. 

Despite the tension coming off her in waves, she feels warm and _ so soft _ against him. He hears a slight whimper and it propels him to finally wrap his arms around her. As soon as he does, he feels her melt into him. 

Rio breathes her in, rubbing his cheek and lips in her hair before pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head. 

His heart is racing, bursting with… something intense. A need. 

To protect. 

But she ain’t a damsel and he certainly ain’t no knight in shining armor. 

No. He knows she can take care of herself. That’s exactly why he wants to protect her. From anyone who tries to hold her back. 

This right here was about empowerment. And Rio? He was here for it.

Shit felt good. 

“Thank you,” she says into his chest, nose pressed there and he feels her breathing him in as well. 

  


************

  


When Beth emerges from the bathroom she notices two things. 

First, the bed has been stripped and she can hear the sound of the washer going downstairs. 

_ How considerate _ she thinks, amused. 

Second is Rios cut; it’s still on her bedside table but appears conspicuously shorter. As she walks closer she sees a small white card laying on top. She picks it up, reading the choppy black script.

_ Consider it a loan _

She flips the card over and reads the words, smiling as understanding dawns on her. 

Gretchen Zorada 

*Attorney at Law*

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Prayer circle for a Brio hug in S3 ***
> 
> Thanks to Anijade and DropKickDisco for encouragement and consulting <3


End file.
